The MIP Alumni Association has today given it’s full support to member, Keld Bordinggaard, in a dispute with the University of Southern Denmark. 

In a Letter of Support, signed by 40 members, the association expressed the following:

In April 2013 our colleague Keld Bordinggaard presented his project of a national football centre in Odense, Denmark.

We have been aware of Keld’s project and work for years. Some of us have had the opportunity to discuss Kelds visionary project along the way.

Keld has since developed his project in cooperation with Dep. of Sport and Biomechanics at the University of Southern Denmark.

It is therefore with great surprise we have been informed that the University of Southern Denmark and its Dep. of Sport and Biomechanics now promotes Kelds project as theirs.

This claim is contrary to the truth.

Keld is, with University of Southern Denmark’s own words, “author of the project” and “irreplaceable in its development”.

Nevertheless the University of Southern Denmark has eliminated Keld from his own project. At the same time, the university has improperly used Keld’s word mark and registered trademark, NFCD®(National Football Centre Denmark).

The behavior of University of Southern Denmark and its Dep. of Sport and Biomechanics is unacceptable, and raises major questions regarding the university’s moral and credibility as a reliable partner for Danish and international football.

The university’s unethical behaviour comes at a time, where football, more than ever, needs to stand up for ethical, moral and transparent governance, leadership and behavior.

With this letter, we express our unreserved support for Keld Bordinggaard. At the same time we refrain from any cooperation with University of Southern Denmark and its Dep. of Sport and Biomechanics as long as Keld has not been acknowledged and compensated in a proper manner for his project, efforts, and development of the project through several years.

Bruno Cheyrou, President of the MIP Alumni Association said: “A new generation of leaders in football are setting ethics and morals on top of the agenda. Not only expressing what they stand for but standing up for it as well. This reaction against University of Southern Denmark is a clear sign of that.”

Keld Bordinggaard added: “I am grateful for the massive support of this group and also pleased to see football again reacting against the lack of ethics and morality that is threatening football and its integrity.”